The Strong Three
by creativekat
Summary: This story takes place in the Hoshiko region. A team of the unbeatable trainers have apeared and need to be stopped.


~ ~ Author's note: This story takes place in the Hoshiko region where a virus has spread leaving the pokemon from this region unable to evolve. This is generations after Ash and his pikachu.

That is all

-Ashes ~ ~

The sounds of pencils scratching on the paper's of all the other students filled the room. Somehow the scratched helped me focus. After I answered each question I relaxed just a little more. I thought the test was going to be harder than it was. All that studying helped. When I finished the test I handed it to the professor and joined the others who had finished in the next room to wait for my results. Sitting on one of the benches outside was one of my childhood friends. I sat next to him on the bench.

"So Brandon, how do you think you did?"

"Better than you" He said with a sly smile.

I slapped him, lightly. "Hey!"

"You'll be a trainer Ashes, you've worked harder than anyone I know."

Here in Hoshiko minors were not aloud to become trainers until they pass a test proving that you know all school can teach you. That's how you earn a high school diploma. As a result most of the trainers that come out of our region don't make it very far. They wind up as scientists instead since most of them have a very high IQ. That's one of the reasons I studied pokemon as well as my school studies. Brandon and I are both 16, the minimum age to take the test.

I sighed "I'm not as smart as you, the math part was easy, but what if I got all of the history part wrong?"

Brandon nudged me, nearly knocking me off the bench. He was going to say something, but the professor called him into the room. I slumped down on the bench until my back was on the seat. I wouldn't see Brandon again until after I have been told how I did as he was being told now. I pulled on the extra fabric on the sleeve of my shirt. This was going to be a long wait. I looked around the room. Everyone was starring at me. I was confused until I realized that I was the only girl in the room. Female pokemon trainers had become less common. Nearly an extinct species in the Hoshiko region.

"What? Never seen a girl who wants to be a pokemon trainer before?" I was fed up with guys saying that girls aren't fit to be trainers. They think that we should remain in the pokemon center as nurses. Even my mom beleived that, though it wasn't surprising considering that fact that she was a nurse herself. I sighed again, my patience thinning. The future of my life depended on this test.

Slowly one by one the boys were taken out of the room. The professor refused to make eye contact with any of them. Eventually, after every boy had left the room the professor called my name. I sighed in relief and panic as I slowly walked into the test room again. He placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Ashes, You are an extraordinary girl, we need more like you taking this test."

"Does this mean I passed.?

The professor nodded. "You can start your journey as soon as you like, just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Don't give up"

I nodded before running out of the room. Brandon was waiting for me outside. I guess He could tell by the smile on my face that I had passed because he instantly hugged me and spun me around. "Get your shinx, we should battle before leaving the village."

I nodded and ran straight home. I was lucky to find that my mom was not home. If she found out that I had taken the test she would take my pokemon straight from me and never let me leave the house again. I quickly packed my bag with a few potions and berries, all of my life's savings, and enough food and water to last us a week. Then I went into the extra room that my mom had made into a daycare for her baby pokemon. Inside was the shinx she had gave me after he found out that she would not be able to evolve. I guess my mom thought that I wouldn't battle with her if she would never be a luxio. I picked up her poke-ball

"Hey shimmer, it's time." She instantly perked up and ran to my side. She was a little silly at times, but she would follow me anywhere, which is why I always kept her outside her ball. I stashed her ball in my backpack as I left. I made a three-sixty turn as I realized that I had forgotten to pack clothes. Shimmer followed me up to my room as I stuffed my bag with three days worth of clothes.

I made sure to grab my phone as I left the house. The sky was spotted with fluffy white clouds and the air was full of the sent of roses. I loved spring, not to cold, not to warm, and the world around me was beautiful. I met Brandon on the outskirts of the village. He had a large smile on his face and was holding a poke-ball in his hand which probably held his lillipup that he had named Lily. She was the sweetest thing ever, but could get a little nippy with people she didn't like which is probably why she was in a ball. "Ready?" He asked. I nodded. He let Lilly out of her ball and she instantly started growling.

Shimmer's body was sparking with electricity. "Focus Shimmer, use you intellect for this fight" Lily lounged to bite Shimmer. Shimmer yelped, she hated being bit. She retaliated with an electric spark to Lily. Soon it was a full blown pokemon battle. Electricity and barking and growling everywhere. Eventually the fighting stopped and Lily fainted. Shimmer was panting, nearly about to faint herself. She barely won the fight. Lily returned to her ball.

"You win, here" Brandon was holding out some money for me to take.

"No I couldn't, this was just a battle for fun." I pushed the money away from me.

"Okay, if you say so." Brandon knew there was no convincing me otherwise. He pulled me into a hug, "I'm going to miss you Ashes, good luck."

I turned to walk out of our village and on to the next town where I could train my pokemon better than here with just babies. Brandon grabbed me by the strap of my bag. I watched as he slipped three unused poke-balls into my bag. I gave him a confused look.

"You'll need them"

"Thanks, Brandon"

I walked away fast. Knowing that this would be the last time I saw Brandon for a while. I wouldn't let him see me cry. Shimmer trotted by my feet.

Soon tears were streaming down my face. Within five minutes I was unable to see where I was walking. I found a nice tree to set by and tried to relax.

Shimmer mewed softly, feeling my sadness. I pulled her into a hug and let her lick my face. It comforted me to still have someone with me who I loved and would stay by my side through thick and thin.

Soon I had calmed down and pulled my bag to me to get out my journal. When I pulled it out a bundle of money jumped into my lap. It was the money that Brandon had tried to give me just a few minutes ago. His stubbornness made me smile.


End file.
